Pneumatic elevator and conveyer



No. 6|8,36l. Patented lan. 24,1899. F. F. LANDIS. 4

PNEUMATIC ELEVATOB AND CONVEYER..

(Application filed Mar. 19, 1898.|

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UNITED STATES PATENT GEEICE.

FRANK F. LANDIS, OF VAYNESBOROUGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

PNEUMATIC ELEVATOR AND CONVEYER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 618,361, dated January24, 1899. Application iledlliarch 19, 1898. Serial No. 674,489. (Nomodel.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK F. LANDIs, a citizen ofthe United States,residing at Waynesborough, in the county of Franklin and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inPneumatic Elevators and Conveyers, of which the following is aspecification.

My said invention consists in an improved form and construction ofpneumatic elevating and conveying mechanism for grain and such likesubstances whereby said seed or other material to be elevated orconveyed is introduced to the blades of a rotary fan while revolving ata sufficient speed to elevate or convey to the desired point withoutbreaking or bruising it; and it also consists in further improvementswhereby none of the air or.

whereby the best results are obtained, as p' will be hereinafter morefully described and claimed.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which are made a part hereof andon which similar letters of reference indicate similar parts, Figure lis a view of the main portion of one of my improved pneumatic elevators,a portion showing the outside casing in elevation, a portion showing theinner casing in elevation, and a portion showing the interior of thefan; Fig. 2, a central longitudinal section through the main portionthereof, the hopper end being shown in elevation; Fig. 3, a top or planview of the hopper separately; and Fig. 4, a detail view similar to aportion of Fig. 2, showing a modified form. l

In said drawings the portions marked A A represent the outside casing;B, the inner end of the discharger; C, the outside casing of thedischarger; D D', the fan-blades, and E the hopper.

The casing A A consists of the circular plate or disk A, having atransverse rim d around its outer edge of the width required for thepurpose, and the bell-shaped cylindrical casing A, bolted at its largeend to the sufficient distance from the plate Ato render the device ofthe length required. At its 'opposite end it is of a much smallerdiameter and has the hopper E rigidly bolted thereto by means of thebolts e, which extend through ears formed on the outside of said hopper.In the center of the plate or disk A is formed a journal-bearing a forthe shaft S, theopposite end of said shaft being journaled in a bearingc' formed on the outer end of the hopper E. Openings A2 are formed inthe casing A at intervals around its circumference and extendingsubstantially the length of the horizontal portion.

The end plate or disk B of the discharger proper isformed with a centralhub o and is mounted rigidly on the shaft S just within and adjacent tothe outside disk A. It is preferably somewhat cone-shaped, with thepoint extending inward, the inward curve being substantially sufficientto make the crossarea between the parts B and C substantially equal fromthe entrance to the dischargepoint, and thus guard against unevenairpressure therein.

The casing C corresponds in form substantially with the form of thecasing A', being a bell-shaped cylinder, with its small end contractedto a diameter which just enciroles a a circular flange E' on the innerend of the hopper E or the end of any pipe or device arranged todischarge into said elevator. The other end of said casing is ofsomewhat greater diameter than the disk B, for a purpose which will bepresently described, and has distribnted at intervals on its outsideedge at its periphery small fan-blades c.

The fan-blades D connect the disk B and casing C, being fastenedsecurely to each at their opposite edges, and extend to the center-orhub of the discharger. The fan-blades D are correspondingly secured andare positioned midway between the blades D, but are much shorter inorder to leave the central portion of said fan or discharger as muchopen as possible and prevent crowding at the center.

A pulley P is mounted on the outer end of the shaft S, by which thedischarger may be driven from any convenient power through the belt p. Ihave also shown a second pulley P formed on the horizontal portion ofedge of said rim and extending to a point a IOO the casing C aboutmidway the length of the discharger, and in Fig. l I have shown a belt ppassing through two of the openings A2 in the casing A and mounted onsaid pulley. As will be readily understood, either arrangement fordriving the discharger may be employed, as preferred; but I regard theuse of the pulley P' as desirable, inasmuch as it is 'located betweent-he shaft-bearings with the well-known consequent advantages.

The rim a is preferably lined with non-metallic material CL2-such asrubber, leather, rawhide, or wood-iu order that the grain t-hrownagainst it may not be bruised. By my construction this lining canY bequickly and cheaply renewed by removing the case A and placing a stripof the non-metallic material against the inner su rface of the rim a ofa little greater width than the space between A A, which will thus beclamped at its edges between said parts and make an airtight joint. Thedischargespout A3 is preferably connected to the casing A A', so thatits sides extend therefrom in substantially a Vertical orsharply-inclined direction in order that any of the grain may not find aplace to lodge and choke therein.

The operation of my said invention is-as follows: The grain or othermaterial to be elevated orcon veyed by means of myinvention is firstintroduced into the hopper E from any source of supply, as indicated inFig. 2, (or for the hopper may be substituted any conductorpipe attachedto the ange E'.) The discharger being in rapid rotation, the materialflows from said hopper or pipe to within the horizon tal portion of'thecasing C, which is of slightly-increased diameter next to the dischargerproper and is'practically smooth on its inner surface, so that the grainis not started revolving by a stroke, but by degrees until centrifugalforce causes it to hug the inner surface of said horizontal portionsufficient to create an annular body of grain in said portion. Thecentrifugal force of the added grain causes that against the surfacewhile revolving to be forced in the direction of the discharger proper,and the grain is rc ceived by the discharger while revolving at thespeed of the innerends of the dischargerwings and is accelerated in itscentrifugal motion to the full speed of the outer ends of said wings,sliding along the parts without breaking or bruising the material,regardless of the speed at which the discharger is revolving.

On the top of the iiange E/ of the hopper E I have shown a defiector e?,set at an angle, as indicated in Fig. 3, which serves to direct the bodyof the grain which follows the rotary movement of the casing C and comesin contact therewith in a forward direction toward the discharger-bladesand prevents the liabilityof any of the grain being forced by the addedgrain over the inward curved rim b2 at this end of the device andfacilitates its movement forward toward the dischargerproducts to beelevated by the discharger and maintains the full pressure in thedischarge-pipe, due to the speed of said discharger, as none of its workcan return between the portions A and C.

It sometimes may happen that the inlet for the material may beovercrowded for the instant and the supply of air be reduced thereby tointerfere with the perfect operation of the device. In Fig. 4 I.haveshown a form of outer casing A, the central portion of which is open,thus affording a rear air-inlet which cannot be crowded, thus obviatingthe difficulty mentioned. In this form the disk B3 is made of the samediameter as C, and small fanblades b are formed on the outside thereofat its periphery to prevent any back currents or leakage, as do those con the other side. Such a form may be used in places when the difficultymentioned is experienced; but I do not regard it as essential.

In elevators of this character, as is well known, it is necessary whenelevating to a considerable height that the fan or discharger revolve ata very high speed in order to accomplish the result desired. It has beenseen in the use of dischargers of other constructions, Where the grainis delivered directly into the discharger between the rapidlyrevolvingfan-blades, that kernels become bruised and broken and that the value ofthe machine for the purpose is thus impaired. As will be readily seenfrom the construction herein shown and described, this disadvantage isentirely obviated, as the grain is introduced onto a practicallyhorizontal revolving and smooth surface and gathers its momentumgradually therefrom, sliding along said surface into the bell-shapedportion to between the dischargerblades, at which point it has the samemomentum as said blades, which are thus prevented from bruising orbreaking it. This object is further attained by means of thenon-metallic lining CL2, against which said grain is thrown when itleaves said discharger-blades.

. Having thus fully described my said invention, what I claim as new,and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isfl. A discharger for apneumatic elevator and conveyer comprising a rotary fan and an outercasing mounted to revolve therewith, which casing is formed with acentral horizontally-extending portion constituting the receiver for thematerial to be operated upon, substantially as set forth.

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618,361 Y f s1 2. A pneumatic, elevator and conveyer comprising an outercasing having a discharge-spout, a'rotary casing within having acentralhorizontal portion outside the fanblades, said fan-blades, and thedriving mechanism, substantially as set forth.

3. A pneumatic elevator and conveyer comprising an outer casing with adischargespout, ahopper or pipe attached to the central portion of itsopen end, a rotary discharger therein consisting of an end disk and abellshaped casing connected by transversely-set fan-blades between them,the small end of thel outer part being arranged to receive the material,said fan-blades and driving mechanism, substantially as set forth.

4. In a pneumatic elevator and conveyer, the combination of the casing AA', the part A being bell-shaped and having the hopper E connected toits outer end, said hopper formed with a flange lextending within saidend, the discharger comprising the disk B, bell-shaped casin g C andfan-blades connecting them, mounted on a shaft within said outer casing,the outer end of said casing C extending under the flange of saidhopper, and driving mechanism, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination in a pneumatic elevator and conveyer, of the outercasing, the rotary discharger within, the rotary casing for saiddischarger having a central portion extending to receive the materialfrom a feeding device, and a deector set above the receiving-point at anangle to direct said material toward the discharge end of the apparatus,substantially as set forth.

6. The combination, in a pneumatic elevator and conveyer, of the outercasing, the rotary dischargertherein consisting of an end disk and abell-shaped cylindrical casing connected by fan-blades, said end diskbeing somewhat cone-shaped with the point inward, whereby the spacebetween said disk and said bell-shaped cylinder is made of substantially-uniform area from where the material is introduced to its periphery,and the air-current pressure thereby maintained uniform, and saidfan-blades, substantially as set forth.

7. A discharger for a pneumatic elevator and conveyer 'comprising arotary cylindrical casing having fan-blades therein, said casingconstructed with a substantially uniform area inside from thereceiving-point to the discharging-point, and said fan-blades,substantially as set forth.

S. In a pneumatic elevator and conveyer, the combination of the outsidecasing, the rotary discharger therein comprising an end disk andbell-shaped casing connected by fanblades, the diameter of saidbell-shaped casing at its large end being somewhat greater than that ofdisk and fan-blades, and said fan-blades, substantially as set forth. l

9. In a pneumatic elevator and conveyer, the combination, of the outercasing, the discharger therein formed with its outside edge of greaterdiameter than its inner edge, and small fan-blades mounted on theoutside of said larger side at its periphery, substantially as setforth.

10. The combination in a pneumatic elevator and conveyer, of the outsidecasing, the rotary discharger therein, consisting of the two parts adistance apart connected by fanblades,sad fanblades,a portion of whichruns to the center, and a portion which does not, whereby the capacityof the fan is maintained and the center thereof not crowded,substantially as set forth.

ll. A pneumatic elevator and conveyer comprising an outer casing havinga discharger-spout, a rotary casing therein, which incloses thefan-blades and is formed with a substantially horizontal cylindricalportion at its center, outside the fan-blades, which horizontalcylindrical portion revolves therewith and constitutes a receiver intowhich the material is dropped, which thus may gather rotary momentumgradually therefrom, to the same speed of that of the fan before the fanreceives said material and said fan-blades, substantially as set forth.

12. A pneumatic elevator and conveyer comprising an outer casing with adisoharger` spout, a rotary discharger therein, having a substantiallyhorizontal and cylindrical portion around its center, outside thefan-blades, which horizontal cylindrical portion receives the material,whereby centrifugal motion is imparted gradually thereto before enteringthe fan or coming into contact with the blades and said fan-blades,substantially as set forth.

13. In a pneumatic elevator and conveyer, the combination of the outercasing, a discharger therein having two sets of Wings, the one set beingout of the path or plane of the other and of less width, but larger indiameter than the other, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

14. In a pneumatic elevator and conveyer, a rotary discharger the casingof which is formed with a central horizontally-extending portion, onwhich extending portion is formed a pulley to receive the driving-beltfor the discharger, substantially as set forth.

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15. In a pneumatic elevator and conveyer,

FRANK F. LANDIS. [L s] lVitnesses:

T. S.' CUNNINGHAM, ALEX. ENGLE.

